diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index b1dd722..231b859 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -17,18 +17,37 @@ export interface AliasTarget {
   readonly ttl?: cdk.Duration;
 }
 
+/**
+ * @param zoneName The DNS name of the zone to create
+ * @param existingPublicZone An existing public zone to use instead of creating a new one
+ * @param existingPrivateZone An existing private zone to use instead of creating a new one
+ * @param disallowPrivateZone Override the default behavior of creating a private zone. Will also block adding private records.
+ * @param includeCertificate Whether to create an ACM certificate for the zone
+ * @param certAlternateNames Alternate names to include in the certificate
+ * @param privateZoneVpcs VPCs to associate with the private zone
+ * @param targets Targets to create A records for
+ */
 export interface ISplitHorizonDnsProps {
   readonly zoneName: string;
+  readonly existingPublicZone?: route53.HostedZone;
+  readonly existingPrivateZone?: route53.HostedZone;
+  readonly disallowPrivateZone?: boolean;
   readonly certAlternateNames?: Array<string>;
-  readonly privateZoneVpcs: Array<ec2.Vpc>;
+  readonly privateZoneVpcs?: Array<ec2.Vpc>;
   readonly targets: Array<AliasTarget>;
   readonly includeCertificate?: boolean;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Creates a public and private zone for a given domain name, and creates A records for the given targets.
+ * @property publicZone The public zone created
+ * @property privateZone The private zone created
+ * @property records The A records created
+ */
 export class SplitHorizonDns extends Construct {
   public publicZone: route53.HostedZone;
 
-  public privateZone: route53.HostedZone;
+  public privateZone?: route53.HostedZone;
 
   public records: Array<ARecordArray>;
 
@@ -37,15 +56,22 @@ export class SplitHorizonDns extends Construct {
 
     const {
       zoneName,
+      existingPublicZone,
+      existingPrivateZone,
+      disallowPrivateZone,
       includeCertificate,
       certAlternateNames,
       privateZoneVpcs,
       targets,
     } = props;
 
-    this.publicZone = new route53.HostedZone(this, 'PublicZone', {
-      zoneName: zoneName,
-    });
+    if (existingPublicZone) {
+      this.publicZone = existingPublicZone;
+    } else {
+      this.publicZone = new route53.HostedZone(this, 'PublicZone', {
+        zoneName: zoneName,
+      });
+    }
 
     if (includeCertificate) {
       new acm.Certificate(this, 'Certificate', {
@@ -54,10 +80,18 @@ export class SplitHorizonDns extends Construct {
       });
     }
 
-    this.privateZone = new route53.HostedZone(this, 'PrivateZone', {
-      zoneName: zoneName,
-      vpcs: privateZoneVpcs,
-    });
+    if (disallowPrivateZone) {
+      console.log('Private zone creation is disallowed. Skipping...');
+    } else if (disallowPrivateZone && existingPrivateZone) {
+      console.error('Private zone creation is disallowed, but an existing private zone was provided. Skipping...');
+    } else if (existingPrivateZone) {
+      this.privateZone = existingPrivateZone;
+    } else {
+      this.privateZone = new route53.HostedZone(this, 'PrivateZone', {
+        zoneName: zoneName,
+        vpcs: privateZoneVpcs,
+      });
+    }
 
     this.records = targets.reduce((accu: Array<ARecordArray>, curr: AliasTarget) => {
       let target;
@@ -83,12 +117,16 @@ export class SplitHorizonDns extends Construct {
         records.push(publicARecord);
       }
 
-      if (curr.private) {
+      if (disallowPrivateZone) {
+        console.log('Private zone creation is disallowed. Skipping...');
+      } else if (curr.private && this.privateZone) {
         const privateARecord = new route53.ARecord(this, `${curr.target.toString()}PrivateARecord`, {
           zone: this.privateZone,
           target: target,
         });
         records.push(privateARecord);
+      } else if (curr.private && !this.privateZone) {
+        console.error(`Private zone was specified for ${curr}, but private zone was not created. Omitting...`);
       }
       accu.push(records);
       return accu;
diff --git a/test/split-horizon-dns.test.ts b/test/split-horizon-dns.test.ts
index c449266..8af20d1 100644
--- a/test/split-horizon-dns.test.ts
+++ b/test/split-horizon-dns.test.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import * as cdk from 'aws-cdk-lib';
 import { Duration } from 'aws-cdk-lib';
 import { Match, Template } from 'aws-cdk-lib/assertions';
 import * as ec2 from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-ec2';
+import * as route53 from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-route53';
 import * as targets from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-route53-targets';
 import * as s3 from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-s3';
 import { SplitHorizonDns, AliasTarget } from '../src/index';
@@ -341,4 +342,111 @@ describe('split horizon', () => {
       TTL: '3600',
     });
   });
+
+  it('omits the private zone if disallowed', () => {
+    const app = new cdk.App();
+    const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'TestStack');
+    new SplitHorizonDns(stack, 'MostBasicTestConstruct', {
+      zoneName: 'example.com',
+      disallowPrivateZone: true,
+      targets: [],
+    });
+
+    const template = Template.fromStack(stack);
+
+    template.hasResourceProperties('AWS::Route53::HostedZone', Match.not({
+      Name: Match.anyValue(),
+      VPCs: Match.arrayWith([
+        Match.objectLike({
+          VPCId: Match.anyValue(),
+        }),
+      ]),
+    }));
+
+    template.hasResourceProperties('AWS::Route53::HostedZone', {
+      Name: Match.anyValue(),
+    });
+  });
+
+  // this test is tricky. as there is no observable property of the record
+  it.skip('doesnt create private records if disallowed', () => {
+    const app = new cdk.App();
+    const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'TestStack');
+
+    const firstTarget: AliasTarget = {
+      target: [googleDns],
+      private: true,
+      public: true,
+    };
+
+    new SplitHorizonDns(stack, 'MostBasicTestConstruct', {
+      zoneName: 'example.com',
+      disallowPrivateZone: true,
+      targets: [firstTarget],
+    });
+
+    // thing.records.forEach((record) => {
+    //   console.log(record);
+    // });
+  });
+
+  it('can receive an existing public zone', () => {
+    const app = new cdk.App();
+    const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'TestStack');
+    const existingZone = new route53.PublicHostedZone(stack, 'ExistingPublicZone', {
+      zoneName: 'example.com',
+    });
+
+    const firstTarget: AliasTarget = {
+      target: [googleDns],
+      public: true,
+    };
+
+    new SplitHorizonDns(stack, 'MostBasicTestConstruct', {
+      zoneName: 'example.com',
+      existingPublicZone: existingZone,
+      targets: [firstTarget],
+    });
+
+    const template = Template.fromStack(stack);
+
+    template.hasResourceProperties('AWS::Route53::RecordSet', {
+      Name: Match.stringLikeRegexp(`${exampleDomain}\.`),
+      Type: 'A',
+      HostedZoneId: Match.objectLike({
+        Ref: Match.stringLikeRegexp('ExistingPublicZone'),
+      }),
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('can receive an existing private zone', () => {
+    const app = new cdk.App();
+    const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'TestStack');
+    const vpc = new ec2.Vpc(stack, 'myvpc');
+    const existingZone = new route53.PrivateHostedZone(stack, 'ExistingPrivateZone', {
+      zoneName: 'example.com',
+      vpc,
+    });
+
+    const firstTarget: AliasTarget = {
+      target: [googleDns],
+      private: true,
+    };
+
+    new SplitHorizonDns(stack, 'MostBasicTestConstruct', {
+      zoneName: 'example.com',
+      existingPrivateZone: existingZone,
+      targets: [firstTarget],
+    });
+
+    const template = Template.fromStack(stack);
+
+    template.hasResourceProperties('AWS::Route53::RecordSet', {
+      Name: Match.stringLikeRegexp(`${exampleDomain}\.`),
+      Type: 'A',
+      HostedZoneId: Match.objectLike({
+        Ref: Match.stringLikeRegexp('ExistingPrivateZone'),
+      }),
+    });
+  });
 });